5So

ARTICULATIONOF HIGH SCHOOLAND COLLEGE

REORGANIZATIONOF SECONDARY EDUCATION

ARTICULATION OFHIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGETHE REORGANIZATION OF SECONDARY EDUCATION

STATEMENTOF THE HIGH SCHOOI. TEACH ERvS ASSOCIATION

" OF NEW YORK CITY o-f^r^^

OPINIONS *li^'

FROM COLLEGE PRESIDENTS, SUPERINTENDENTS,AND HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS

RESOLUTIONSADOPTED BY THREE DEPARTMENTS OF THE

NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

HIGH SCHOOLTEACHERS ASSOCIATION

New York City

November, 1910

APR .i 18M.

INTRODUCTION

The conviction is spreading throughout the United States that our

high schools are seriously handicapped by present college entrance

requirements. In the west, the colleges and high schools are co-operai-

ing with marked success in bringing about a better articulation of these

two institutions. In order to hasten a reform in the east the HighSchool Teachers Association of New York City at its meeting in March,

191(>, authorized the President of the Association, Mr, Arthur L. Janes,

to appoint a committee of five to consider what steps should be taken.

He appointed the following committee:—William McAndrew, Principal

of the Washington Irving High School; Ellen R. Rushmore, of the

Manual Training High School; James Sullivan, Principal of the Boys

High School; James F. Wilson, of the Stuyvesant High School; and

Clarence D. Kingsley, of the Manual Training High School, Chairman.

This committee made a detailed study of the entrance requirements of

a large number of colleges and drew up a statement setting forth the

Impossibility of wisely meeting the needs of our high school students

on account of present college entrance requirements. The committee

suggested two methods of improving the situation:

1. By the first method college entrance would be based upon the

simple fact of graduation from a four-year course in a first-class high

school. This method would give complete satisfaction to the high

school. If supplemented by competent examination into the efficiency

of each school, we believe this method would tend to develop within the

high school that independence, breadth, and judgment required to pro-

duce the best results. The improvement in the high schools would

result in better preparation and more students for the college.

2. The second method, not as radical as the first, was proposed, in

order that the high schools might derive as soon as possible some meas-

ure of relief from present conditions.

This second method calls for:

(a) the reduction in the number of so-called "required" subjects,

together with

(b) the recognition of all standard subjects, as electives.

The requirement of two foreign languages from every student is

regarded as particularly objectionable.

The committee reported its conclusions at the annual meeting of the

association ivray 7th, 1910. The association ratified its statement, which

is given on pages 8 and 9 of this pamphlet, and instructed the com-

mittee to send it out and to invite correspondence upon the mattersinvolved.

The committee wrote to the Presidents of one hundred and fifteen

colleges, to each State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and to anumber of City Superintendents and High School Principals. Thereplies in which opinions were expressed are given, practically com-plete, in this pamphlet, and arranged by states, the replies from thecolleges being given first under each state. Two or three replies havebeen omitted because they were not for publication. All the replies in

ihis pamphlet, with one exception, were received in May and June.

ANALYSIS OF REPLIES.

We have received expressions of opinion from the presidents of the

twenty-five following colleges and universities:—Adelphi, Brown,Buffalo, Case School, Chicago, Dickinson, Girard, Goucher (formerly

Woman's College of Baltimore), Haverford, Illinois, Massachusetts

Agricultural, Middlebury, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio,

Pittsburgh, Purdue, Rochester, St. Johns, Stevens, Swarthmore, Trinity,

Tufts, and Williams.

Of the presidents of these twenty-five colleges and universities, three

state that they are not in favor of the change from two to one foreign

language. Nearly all of the other presidents endorse some or all of

the recommendations indicated in our statement. Several college

presidents write that they will recommend forthwith to their faculties

modifications as suggested, and in several cases the presidents are in

favor of our first proposition, namely admitting students upon gradua-

tion from standard high schools. In some cases, the presidents write

that they have already reduced the number of required subjects and

have recognized a wide range of subjects as electives.

Dr. Charles W. Eliot, President Emeritus of Harvard University, is

one of the few who take a different view of the situation. He dis-

approves of the accrediting system. He disapproves of admitting

students with only one foreign language. He sanctions a wide range

of subjects as electives but his reply seems to indicate a belief that

a wide differentiation of high schools may accomplish the ends of a

wise reorganization of secondary education. This, however, as a

substitute for a revision of entrance requirements would assume that

the students in commercial and other modern courses would continue

to have the present difficulties in preparing for a regular college.

From the following eight colleges and universities we have received

replies from professors to whom our statement was referred: Cornell,

Columbia, Johns Hopkins, Ohio State, Ohio Wesleyan, Pennsylvania,

Union, and theUniversity of Washington.

We have received replies from the State Superintendents of PublicInstruction in the following states: Massachusetts, Vermont, RhodeIsland, New York, New Jersey, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico; fromState Superintendent Joyner of North Carolina, President last year of

the National Education Association; from Deputy SuperintendentTietrick of Pennsylvania; and from State High School Inspector Hay-ward, who writes for the State Superintendent of North Dakota. It is

significant that every one of these superintendents, without exception,

agrees wholly, or in the main, with our recommendations. State

Superintendent Draper of New York writes, "I think that the colleges

should receive the graduates of recognized high schools and give themtheir opportunity to show whether or not they can do college work."

State Superintendent Snedden of Massachusetts writes, "The present

situation is most objectionable, and especially in the restrictive effects

it is having on true high school development." State Superintendent

Stone of Vermont sets forth the function of the high school thus:

"The chief function of the high school is to enable the individual to

find out what he can best do and to give him a certain degree of

culture and discipline. If the individual is required to fit the school

and the school does not fit the individual, the individual becomes crip-

pled, and we are having too many deformities as a result of our

restricted and required courses."

We have also received expressions of opinion from about twenty

superintendents of schools in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Cleve-

land, Springfield, and other important school systems. These replies

have been practically unanimous in endorsing the movement. Themajority were emphatic in their approval.

THE FUNCTIONS OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.

The articulation of high school and college should proceed upon a

clear conception of the functions of the high school. These functions

seem to be the three following:

(1) To help the individual discover what he can best do in view of

his own ability and the conditions in his community.

(2) To give him a carefully planned course, adapted to his needs

as rapidly as his bent is discovered.

(3) To inspire him to continue his education further if circum-

stances warrant.

If this statement is sound, it follows that:

(1) To perform the first function, our high school educators need

to be able to help the student discover his bent and to know the vari-

ous opportunities existing in the community.

(2) The second function calls for many differentiated courses, andmany prefer to have these courses side by side in the same school so that

the student may be encouraged and not hindered in selecting the course

best for him, when he discovers himself.

(3) The third function calls for the broadening of the basis of

college entrance, in order that we may have no unnecessary blind alleys

in our high schools.

In addition to those four-year courses, which we hope the college will

soon fully recognize, many communities need the establishment of

two-year courses and trade courses planned without reference to college

admission.

SAIvIENT POINTS IN THE DISCUSSION.

First. Frequent reference is made in the replies received to the

fact tnat no one can foretell upon a student's entering high school

whether or not he will finally go to college. We wish to emphasize

this as the fundamental point in our whole discussion. If it werepossible to foretell, the American high school should be censured for

not performing its third function, that of inspiring students to a desire

for higher education. The colleges themselves have long recognized

the desirability of encouraging children from the humblest families in

their endeavor to obtain a higher education. Any separation of students

into college preparatory high schools and other high schools would

be a distinct abandonment of that which American education has

heretofore regarded as its greatest achievement. Such a system mightbe viewed with favor in a country dominated by class distinctions.

Second. We fear that the educational value of manual training

and commercial subjects is not yet fully recognized. We do not agree

with the idea that these subjects should be taken in the high school

only by those whose college course is to contain a continuation of

these subjects. On the coiitrary, if a student is going to a college where

no opportunity is afforded for the education that comes through the

hand, or where no courses are offered in commercial theory and prac-

tice, his need for some such work in the high school is all the greater.

For instance, engineers often fail from lack of business sense, and

physicians and surgeons need skill of hand.

Third. Our education would gain in power and in virility if we mademore of the dominant interest that each boy and each girl has at the

time. A high grade course in stenography and typewriting that appeals

to the dominant interest of the boy or girl will afford excellent training

in spelling, punctuation, and composition. This training becomes of

value whatever college course may be built upon it.

The gain which would come to our colleges by the encouragement in

the high school of courses that make their appeal to the live interests

of real boys and girls is clearly brought out in the reply of Dean Daven-

port of the University of Illinois and in his valuable book, "Education

for Efficiency."

6

Probably as many students fail in college from a lack of determina-

tion and aim, as from a lack in quantity of preparation along estab-

lished lines, and consequently a reorganization of secondary education

that will assist boys and girls to get a purpose in life before leaving

the high school will help the college in many ways.

Fourth. While it may be true that the newer subjects for which weseek recognition in many cases are not as well taught as the older

subjects, still we believe that the way to raise the standard is to hold

out to the schools the incentive that these subjects will be accepted

just as rapidly as the work comes up to a high standard in each par-

ticular school. In this way the school will be encouraged and not hin-

dered. Boards of Education will more readily improve the equipment

and employ capable teachers for these subjects, and the students will

not be overcrowded in the attempt to carry the new subjects in addition

to the full amount of the older subjects.

CONCLUSION.

In view of the fact that the high school itself is confronted by newand difficult problems the solution of which is of the greatest impor-

tance to the community, it certainly seems not unreasonable that the

High School should ask of the College all the co-operation possible in

order that working together they may advance the best interests of the

educational system for the benefit of all concerned.

Even though there may be fears that the results temporarily mayin some cases be somewhat unsatisfactory judged from the older

standards of set and finished results, yet in the interests of the enthu-

siasm which comes in meeting new conditions and from the satisfac-

tion which arises in solving new problems, a quality for which the

American people is distinguished, we issue this pamphlet in the hope

that the College may make the modifications needed by the High School.

CLARENCE D. KINGSLEY, ChairmanWILLIAM McANDREWELLEN R. RUSHMORBJAMES SULLIVANJAMES F. WILSONCommittee on Conference with the Colleges.

Address of the Chairman,

400 Fourth Street,

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Three sections of the National Education Association, at the annual

meeting July 1910, passed resolutions upon the urgent need for the

revision of college entrance requirements. These resolutions are

given on the last pages of this pamphlet.

STATEMENTOF THE

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS ASSOCIATIONON THE

ARTICULATION OF HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGEThe Reorganization of Secondary Education

We believe that the interests of the forty thousand boys and girls

who annually attend the nineteen high schools of this city cannot be

wisely and fully served under present college entrance re-

quirements. Our experience seems to prove the existence of a wide

discrepancy )3etween "preparation for life" and "preparation ^fox

college" as defined by college entrance requirements.

So long as this discrepancy exists, both the child and society suffer,

for the following two reasons:

First:—Every attempt to divide high school students into two classes

and to prepare one class for college and the other class for life is un-

satisfactory. Many of those being "prepared for college" drop out

of school without proper education for citizenship and without the

industrial or commercial efficiency which society rightly demands the

tax-supported high school should develop. Those being "prepared for

life" include many who, later in their course, would go to college if the

work already done were recognized by the colleges.

Second:—The attempt to prepare the student for college under the

present requirements and at the same time to teach him such other

subjects as are needed for life is unsatisfactory. Under these con-

ditions the student often has too much to do. The quality of all his

work is likely to suffer. The additional subjects are slighted because

they do not count for admission to college. In such a course it is

impossible for the student to give these subjects as much time and

energy as social conditions demand.

For these reasons we desire to call your attention to the entrance

requirements of Clark College. This college accepts the graduates of

any New England public high school or of any other high school with

equivalent standard. They report that the results are satisfactory to

the college. May we ask what, in your opinion, would be the objections,

if any, to the acceptance by your college, of the graduates of the high

schools of New York City? Such a definition of entrance requirements

would secure to the college a four years' preparatory course and would

enable the high school to perform its function as a tax-supported

institution. Under the present method of defining entrance require-

ments, students who have not completed our courses of study repeatedly

gain admission to college, often to the weakening of both college andhigh school.

8

If this departure seems too radical, may we call your attention to

the following statements and recommend the modifications in present

entrance requirements which seem to us mcst urgent? There are

seven distinct lines of work which we believe essential to a well-

rounded high school course; to wit, language, mathematics, history and

civics, science, music, drawing, and manual training. Girls must be

taught household science and art. Moreover, we believe that the

twentieth century demands that the high schools should not cast all

students in the same mold; that the amount of science and manualtraining which is sufficient for one student is utterly inadequate for

another; and that a training for business may be given in the high

school which will be as cultural and as respectable as any other course.

To enable the high schools to adapt secondary education to the varying

needs of different students in such a manner as to meet the diverse

demands of the professions, of industry, and of commerce, progress

seems to us to require

(a) the reduction in the number of so-called "required" subjects,

together with

(b) the recognition of all standard subjects, as electives.

The specified entrance requirement of two foreign languages, the

meager electives in science, and the absence of recognition for drawing,

music, household science and art, shopwork, commercial branches, and

civics and economics, constitute the chief diffiulty.

We should like to see it possible for a student upon entering the

high school to choose Latin or German or French; to confine his workin foreign language, during his high school course, to one such language

in case the remainder of his time is required for other subjects;" and

to find at the end of his high school course that he has met the foreign

language requirements of whatever college he may choose to enter.

We should like to see no discrimination against Latin for the course

leading to the B. S. degree, so that students choosing any language

may enter the B. S. course.

We should like to see the following subjects recognized by college

entrance credits:

Husic, 1 unit; mechanical and freehand drawing, each 14 to 1 unit;

joinery, pattern making, forging, machine shop practice, each y, to 1

unit; household chemistry, botany, zoology, physiography, applied

physics, and advanced chemistry, each 1 unit; modern history, 1 unit;

civics and economics, each 1/0 to 1 unit; household science and art, 2

units; and commercial geography, commercial law, stenography and

typewriting, elementary bookkeeping, advanced bookkeeping, and ac-

counting, each yo to 1 unit.

A recent study of entrance requirements shows that many colleges

are already requiring only one foreign language for admission, and

that many of the above subjects have received recognition.

REPLIESARRANGED BY STATES

CONNECTICU r

FLAVEL S. LUTHER, LL. D., President Trinity College.

I have received your letter of May 18th with the accompanying

circular. I fully appreciate your position. Please understand, how-

ever that, in what follows, I express only my personal opinions, with

which I do not believe many college faculties would coincide.

I agree with you fully that the present situation is intolerable.

I agree with almost everything in your circular except, perhaps, the

assignment of numerical values to a specific list of subjects. It seems

to me that what the colleges ought to want is this—some process

whereby they may be assured that candidates entering college have

reached such a stage of intellectual maturity and training that they

are capable of undertaking college work, under college methods of

teaching, with a fair prospect of success. In the old days Freshmen

entering college went on with the studies which they had been pursu-

ing in school, and the quantitative requirements were reasonable, per-

haps inevitable. To-day the situation has been entirely changed. In

Trinity College, for example, there is no subject taught, except Latin

and Mathematics, which is not begun in college; that is to say, there

are only these two subjects for which any specific training is necessary

beyond Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. Of course, it is proper to

point out that Physics, Civil Engineering, and some other subjects, do

require a further Mathematical preparation. Greek, French, Italian,

Spanish, History, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Philosophy,

etc., etc., are or may be begun in our institution.

Again, then, it appears that what we want is some reasonable con-

fidence that our students may begin these studies and go on with them

rapidly and successfully, of course with the understanding that they

may pick up some of these subjects at such an advanced stage as their

preparation may justify. I do not believe that it makes very muchdifference what boys and girls study in the high school so far as their

college career is concerned, provided they study hard and secure suf-

ficient intellectual development and training to enable them to do somekind of work appropriate to the college age and the college courses.

An ideal arrangement to my mind would be one whereby a very, very-

large list of high schools and preparatory schools should be prepared

under competent authority, with the understanding that these schools

might send their students to any college in the country simply upon

10

certificate of graduation. Among other advantages this plan would

result in the saving of practically a year of each candidate's life, nowdevoted to preparation for formal and highly unsatisfactory examina-

tions. I believe that we shall come to some such plan as this, sooner

or later.

CHARLES W. DEANE, Ph.D., City Superintendent, Bridgeport.

I consider the ideas set forth in it sound, and would be glad to see

them prevail.

CHARLES B. JENNINGS, City Superintendent, New London.

It is high time, it seems to me, that the colleges of the country

abandoned their time-honored practice and custom of prescribing a cer-

tain cut and dried examination that all applicants must pass before

entering college. Without any desire to criticize, I have felt for a num-ber of years that the colleges have not responded as much as the lower

schools to the modern trend of public opinion in regard to education.

They will all come into line eventually, for they mean right. It is

simply the inertia of long continued custom. I am heartily in favor

of the plan, as outlined, which you send to me.

B. W. TINKER, City Superintendent, Waterbury.

For a long time I have felt that the colleges were making unnecessary

restrictions in regard to "preparation." The number of required sub-

jects is so great that if the work of preparation is not begun immed-iately upon entering high school, it is almost always necessary for the

pupils to spend five years or more in such preparation. Too muchattention is paid to the amount of matter covered, and too little to

how it is covered. It ought to be a question of ability. I am heartily

in sympathy with the work you are undertaking.

EDWARD H. GUMBART, Ph.D., Principal, Norwalk High School,

South Norwalk.

I heartily agree with the sentiments expressed. Please count me in

to support any movement to carry out such a reorganization of sec-

ondary education as you have proposed,

JOHN P. GUSHING, Head Master, New Haven High School,

New Haven.

Your articulation of high school and college is too liberal for me.

11

ILLINOIS

HARRY PRATT JUDSON, LL.D., President University of Chicago.

I am much interested in your statement. It hardly needs referring

to the faculty of the University of Chicago, as we have been for sometime very nearly on the basis indicated. In my opinion a student whohas gone through the four years' course in a high school of recognizedgood quality ought to be admitted to college, and the college curriculumought to be adjusted so as to permit such student to find suitable work.

ABRAM W. HARRIS, LL. D., President Northwestern University,

Evanston.

I was for eight years President of the University of Maine. I havenow been for four years President of Northwestern University, and in

between I was for five years principal of the Jacob Tome Institute,

which contained a boys' boarding school of high school grade. MyTome experience gave me knowledge of the problem you are consid-

ering, and I sympathize fully with your purposes.

When at Maine I brought into use admission by certificate, whichrequired, (1) graduation from a four-year high school, and (2) the

satisfactory completion of certain specified studies that made up ap-

proximately one-third of the high school course, and (3) a definite

recommendation of the principal that the candidate was, in his judg-

ment, fitted for the course he was to undertake.

This system was intended to leave large liberty in developing the

high school course to those who knew local conditions best, namely,

the principals. It was intended to establish sympathetic and cordial

relations with the principals. The plan was eminently successful,

and under it the standard of scholarship constantly improved. Stu-

dents who completed the required studies, but had not completed a

high school course, were allowed to take examinations and were ad-

mitted if their ranks were thoroughly satisfactory. The number of

such candidates was small, and only a small proportion passed, al-

though occasionally a very good man was admitted whose prepara-

tion had been irregular.

Northwestern University has recently modified its admission re-

quirements for the College of Liberal Arts, with the express intention

of accomplishing the results you desire.

EDMUND J. JAMES, LL.D., President University of Illinois.

I do not suppose the University of Illinois would make any objection

to accepting the graduates of the high schools of New York City for

matriculation in the University. There are certain fundamental sub-

12

jects varying with the course chosen, which we have to require be-

cause the knowledge of these subjects is a technical requirement for

success in the course. Otherwise I believe you will find the University

of Illinois in full sympathy with the general proposition of your com-

munication.

H. A. HOLLISTER, High School Visitor, University of Illinois.

President James, of the University, has just sent to me your letter

of May 30th with a request that I underake to reply. I have read with

interest your circular on "Articulation of High School and College."

It seems to me that the general position taken by your committee in

regard to these matters is fully justified by the situation.

The University of Illinois has long exercised a liberal attitude in

regard to electives. Foreign language work, for instance, has been

prescribed only for the College of Literature and Arts, and even in

this case no particular language has been prescribed for admission. Awide range of electives in science and history has characterized our

attitude toward secondary schools. More recently we have broadened

out still more by introducing in our list of electives for admission

manual training, commercial work, domestic science, and agriculture.

With the exception of work in manual training, we have had little

experience, as yet, with these new subjects. We are just assigning

credit to a limited group of high schools for the first time this spring.

In the case of manual training work, the experience thus far has been

very satisfactory. There seems to have been no indication of anydepreciation in the quality of preparation offered by students who have

taken advantage of this subject as an elective. We do not anticipate

any difficulty with regard to other new subjects mentioned above.

One of the most serious difficulties we have, however, in adjusting

credits with reference to these subjects is the comparative lack of uni-

formity in the nature and grade of work offered by the high school.

These difficulties we are undertaking to overcome through a conference

of high school teachers which meets annually here at the University.

In these conferences we invite representative high school people to

discuss with us standards and unit definitions with regard to all en-

trance subjects, and thus far we have found it possible to base our

requirements on the definitions agreed to by these conferences. In this

way we hope gradually to be able to establish these new subjects on a

basis of equality as to subject matter, dealing in such a way as to makethe accrediting of them as simple as that of the standard high school

subjects.

In this connection, it may be of interest to call attention to the fact

that in our experience in dealing with high schools, it seems much

more difficult to get teachers as well equipped for the teaching of

these newer branches as those who teach the older academic subjects.

One does not have to seek very far to find reasons for this. Very few

institutions are really prepared to train teachers with adequate schol-

arship attainments for the teaching of the manual arts, domestic

science, commercial subjects, or agriculture. If you happen to get

hold of a recent publication by me entitled "High School Administra-

tion," D. C. Heath & Co., you will find in it a chapter dealing with the

relation of the high school to colleges and universities, in which I have

tried to explain the situation, especially with reference to the accredit-

ing of subjects more modern and practical in character.

I think you will agree with me that is is quite desirable that weproceed with some deliberation in undertaking to standardize these

subjects which are now calling for recognition. This need is probably

not so much felt in New England and New York as it is in the Middle

West where our growth is more recent and where our development

is rapid. However this may be, I feel sure that the ultimate aim and

purpose of our colleges and universities should be fully as broad as

that indicated in your circular on the subject of "College Entrance."

EUGENE DAVENPORT, Dean of College of Agriculture, University of

Illinois.

First, let me say that I am glad to give this opinion for what it is

worth, though I do not pose as an educational expert. The little

book, "Education for Efficiency," was an outpouring of my own experi-

ence in acting as a godfather to a new subject trying to blaze its way

jtnto good academic society. I would be the last to degrade the high

standards of this society, but, on the other hand, I have contended

strenuously that when a new member comes along, he ought to be

admitted.

The point you raise, however, involves even a larger question in

academic policy, and yet I find myself in thorough sympathy with the

position taken by the teachers of the high schools. To me the high

school is par excellence the educational center of the community in

which the great bulk of the young people will receive all the training

they will ever get for the life that they will pursue, and that very

generally they will find their lives not far removed from the vicinity

of the school. The matter you mention is fundamental in that it Is

impossible to determine at any time which individuals will ultimately

go to college and which will not, and therefore the training of the

two in this respect must be identical, all of which means that the

colleges and universities must "hitch on" (a good agricultural phrase)

to the high schools the best they may, or else the high schools will

be distorted into nothing but preparatory schools for college to the

14

vast detriment of the mass of students who will never see the college

for which they were supposedly prepared.

This University publishes a list of subjects which would be accepted

for credit, and while it does not announce that it will accept for credit

anything and everything that is taught in any school, yet it puts

into this list every new subject that is offered in the high schools

as soon as this subject is even reasonably well taught. For example,

we now accept for admission in this University: Agriculture, one to

two units; Business Law, one-half unit; Domestic Science, one unit;

Manual Training, one to two units, etc. Foreign language is required

for admission only in the College of Literature and Arts. However,foreign language is practically required for graduation in all the

colleges. Certain substitutions may be made in the Colleges of Agri-

culture and Engineering, but at considerable additional labor on the

part of the student.

This all means, I think, that we are perfectly ready to accept both

information and training that come out of certain new subjects and

accept them in full value for college entrance. I think our experience

is that we do not get in some of these new subjects the same degree

of academic training that can be brought with some of the older and

better established studies like language and mathematics, but we do

get, on the other hand, a lively interest, a directness and an inclination

to engage in actual problems of life, which is far less assured witli

those subjects whose subject matter deals largely with the past and

whose atmosphere is decidedly ancient. It is, you see, the deliberate

purpose of this University to meet the high schools on their ownground. It is true some of the schools complain of University domi-

nance, but that is rather in a quantitative than in a qualitative sense

and arises from our attempt to deal with a large number of schools

of a varying degree of efficiency. So far as subject matter is con-

cerned, however, we are ready to accept anything which the schools

do and do well.

Our experince is, so far as I am able to state it, that we gain in the

matter of interest in life problems and ability to solve them far morethan we lose in academic finish. There is no doubt that pure scholar-

ship in the old sense of the term can best be developed with old andfinished subjects. On the other hand, the modern American is to be

made principally out of new subjects, finished off, so to speak, with

the old ones. We try, therefore, to combine the two and keep as close

as possible to the life and heart of the people.

All this is only saying in a round-about way that my interest is

entirely with the high schools in their desire to so conduct their

affairs as to serve the varied communities which support them, and

it will remain there so long as they conscientiously do this work.

When they abandon this high purpose and serve only as preparatory

15

schools for colleges, I shall lose my interest in them, believing that

they have sacrificed their rights as they have their opportunities.

PROFESSOR OTIS W. CALDWELL, University of Chicago.

Your statement is fine and represents the attitude that is being

taken by many of our progressive high schools in the Central States.

The High School has come to perform a function that makes it an

autonomous body. It is now necessary for the High School to con-

sider its own problems almost independently of the College and

University. High Schools need to educate for general eflaciency, and

pupils who go to College need this kind of training quite as much as

those who do not go. The lack of industrial and social perspective

on the part of college graduates should be corrected by a High School

education which deals with those matters that are of the greatest

value to the largest numher.

PROFESSOR C. RIBORG MANN, University of Chicago.

I am very much interested in this question and consider your

statement the best that I have yet seen on the subject. There is a

growing sentiment here at the University of Chicago in favor of the

ideas which you present. The Federation of Secondary School Teachers,

an association of which I am president, has a committee working on

this same subject. There are about 2200 members of the associations

in the Federation scattered all over the country.

J. STANLEY BROWN, Superintendent and Principal, Joliet TownshipHigh School, Joliet.

I congratulate your committee on the work done, and assure you

that all movements looking to the complete autonomy of the public

high school will be welcomed by the teaching bodies of the whole

country.

JAMES E. ARMSTRONG, Principal Englewood High School, Chicago.

I think we have a decided advantage over your schools in the

east in regard to college entrance requirements. I am in entire accord

with the point mentioned in the circular on "Articulation of HighSchool and College." I think you will recognize that we are a long

stride ahead of the eastern schools in all these relations. We have

an association of all the colleges, universities, and secondary schools

in the North Central States. A committee of twenty or thirty people

from these various institutions make a definition of each unit of the

16

college requirements for admission; and in this way the high school

men have their say as to what subjects should be accepted by the col-

leges from the high school graduates.

INDIANA

WINTHROP E. STONE, Ph.D., President Purdue University, Lafayette.

At Purdue we are entirely in sympathy with the recognition, as

preparation for college, of a wide range of high school subjects and

we are chiefly concerned that these subjects should be seriously and

thoroughly taught in some properly arranged sequence and relation,

believing that when the high school pupil has mastered them, he has

in effect gained the necessary mental power and direction to enable

him to do collegiate work.

Since, however, Purdue is a scientific and technological institution,

we find it necessary to prescribe certain preparatory studies in order

that our entering students shall be able to go on with our own courses.

Of the fifteen units required for admission, ten are thus prescribed,

namely, English, foreign language, mathematics, science, and history.

The remaining five units which the applicant must submit may be

made up of subjects chosen in the departments of English, foreign

language, mathematics, science, history, shop work, drawing, domes-

tic science, agriculture, and commercial courses in varying weights.

It is our endeavor in arranging these requirements to meet school

conditions and to accomplish what is referred to in your circular;

namely, the reduction of required subjects and the recognition of all

standard subjects as electives.

M. H. STUART, Assistant Principal Manual Training High School,

Indianapolis.

Your letter and circular regarding college entrance requirements

which was mailed to Superintendent Kendall, has been forwarded to

me for reply. Your circular is very interesting and bears directly on

the vital high school difficulty. Your first suggestion—that the colleges

admit all of the graduates from standard high schools—would, of

course, be satisfactory to us and would enable the high school to meet

the demands of the people. I fear, however, that the college people

might consider this a little too radical, since the high schools are nowdeveloping such a varied course of study. So, from a practical point

of view, I am inclined toward your second suggestion of reducing the

number of required subjects and giving recognition to all of the

standard lines of work represented in the modern city high school.

17

This, it seems to me, is perfectly feasible and in line with the future

development of high school work. I would favor reducing the required

subjects to English, mathematics, and one foreign language, including

among the elective subjects, all those mentioned in your circular. In

brief, I am very enthusiastic regarding your second plan for solving

this much discussed difficulty. Any assistance that we may be able

to give you in this line will be gladly contributed.

MARYLAND

EUGENE A. NOBLE, LL. D., President Goucher College, Baltimore.

I am not in favor of having the colleges prescribe, and command,and rigidly determine, just what work the secondary schools must do.

I have objected to that consistently. It is entirely unfair for anycollege to assume that its requirements must give character to all the

work done in the secondary schools. This point is definite in mymind: That in some measure the secondary schools must break awayfrom what the old colleges imposed upon them as necessary aspects

of activity.

While I should not be willing to forecast the educational future,

yet I am inclined to believe that what we shall have to do is this:

To have a number of high schools that pay comparatively little atten-

tion to college preparation, and some other schools that devote them-

selves to that. I do not believe the colleges will admit students whose

work has not been systematically arranged and conducted before they

are admitted as Freshmen. This being so, I can see nothing for it

but to have a number of schools devote themselves to college prepara-

tion.

What Clark College is trying to do, I suppose we are all trying to do,

to determine in advance the ability of a student to do the work of a

Freshman year, that is to admit the students "on trial." That in itself

is not a bad plan. As far back as five years ago I urged such a plan

upon one of the best New England colleges. I should not be averse to

having it tried in this institution from schools that were on an

approved list to receive students who have graduated and perhaps had

made a grade of something higher than mere passing; then let their

work for the first half year in college determine whether they were able

to carry college tasks successfully. Perhaps you do not know that wehave a list of alternative entrance requirements, a plan which was

adopted in order that admission to our Freshmen class might adjust

itself to the inequalities of preparation in different parts of the country.

We have held that it is the business of the college to adjust its re-

18

quirements for admission in such a way that existing inequalities in

different parts of the country shall be met. We believe that entirely

too much deference has been paid to the rigid system originating in

New England and we should be glad to see certain changes and modifi-

cations made in order to satisfy the educational requirements of the

whole country.

So far as the work of this college is concerned, and the work as I

imagine it of some other colleges, it would be absurd for us to accept

handicraft, household sciences, bookkeeping, machine shop practice,

pattern making, forging, stenography and typewriting, etc., for en-

trance. I could wish that both mechanical and freehand drawing were

recognized, and if there were some way to determine the unit value

of music, I should like to see music recognized. To determine the

unit value of some of the subjects in your list seems to me to be nearly

impossible. If all the high schools within our territory taught the

same subject with the. same sincerity of method, it would not be a

difficult matter for the college to determine what it ought to receive

for entrance.

EDWARD H. GRIFFIN, Dean of the College Faculty, Johns HopkinsUniversity, Baltimore.

We fully appreciate the importance of this subject, and the difficulties of

the problem w^hich it presents. It is now too late in the year to invite an

expression of opinion by our academic staff, but I shall be glad to bring the

subject up for discussion next year.

I am personally in favor of accepting properly guarded certificates, from

properly accredited high schools, for admission to college. I am also in

favor of accommodating the entrance requirements, as far as possible, to the

needs of the high school. But I do not see how "vocational subjects"—if

I may use that term—can be substituted for the standard subjects, to any

very considerable extent.

MASSACHUSETTSCHARLES W. ELIOT, LL.D., President Emeritus Harvard University.

I have read the statement regarding the articulation of high school

and college which you were good enough to send me under date of

June fourth. It discusses a very large question in public secor»dary

education, and I am free to confess that my own mind is not clear

as to the best interests of the public high school. In Boston and Cam-bridge, where there have long been free Latin schools supported by

taxation, the solution of the problem has been very different from that

which your statement suggests; and of late years an active differenti-

19

ation in high schools has been going on, so that we now have three

well-marked types of high schools. On the other hand, Harvard College

already counts for admission physics, chemistry, civil government,anatomy, zoology and economics, freehand and projection drawing,astronomy, harmony and counterpoint, various kinds of shop work, andEnglish and American history. On the whole, this is a more compre-hensive list than that which stands on the third page of your state-

ment,—considering that Harvard College admits no girls.

The weak points of your statement seem to me to be the follow-

ing: (1) You call attention to the entrance requirements of ClarkCollege. These are the lowest and most enfeebling for secondaryschools ever made in New England. (2) You approve the certificate

method of entrance, which has had a most deplorable effect on the

-quality of secondary schools all over the country, and has distinctly

lowered the quality of the entering classes of the American universities

in general. (3) You recommend that a youth whose education is to

he prolonged learn but one foreign language up to his nineteenth

year. This doctrine flies in the face of all experience concerning the

right age to learn the elements of foreign languages. The policy is

right for children whose education is to stop at eighteen, or earlier;

but it is utterly wrong for those whose education is to be prolonged.

(4) Yoa seem to sanction in your first paragraph the absurd antithesis

betw^een "preparation for life" and "preparation for college." "Prep-

aration for life" in this sense means only that imperfect preparation

which those can receive who must begin to earn money at eighteen

years of age, or earlier. "Preparation for college" means preparation

for a training subsequent to eighteen years of age, which may last

from three to seven years. College education, in short, is much moretruly and effectively preparation for life than any other form of edu-

cation.

I agree with you that the changes you advocate amount to a "re-

organization of secondary edi^cation"; but the essence of the re-organ-

ization, in my opinion, will be differentiation among high schools and

greater range of selection among studies for pupils.

FREDERICK W. HAMILTON, D.D., President Tufts College.

I doubt if any serious consideration can be given to your state-

ment until next fall, owing to the pressure of matters incident upon

the closing of the college year. Personally, I believe that a closer

articulation between the high school and college is desirable, and I

am personally much more in sympathy than are most of my colleagues

on the Faculty with the specific changes you desire to make. I amby no means certain, however, that it is wise to attempt to lay out

a high school course in such a way that it may hit any mark which

20

the shooter may make up his mind he would like to bring down after

the projectile has left the gun. While I believe in a good deal of

latitude in college entrance requirements and in the acceptance of

well taught subjects of almost any kind for admission to college, it does

seem to me quite clear that the aim of the high school education ought

to be fairly well determined upon at an early period of the course.

It does seem to me that a boy who intends to be a bookkeeper im-

mediately on graduation from the high school, may properly direct his

high school course rather differently from a boy who intends to be a

clergyman, or a lawyer, or an electrical engineer. In a word, I find

myself agreeing with your definite conclusions much more fully than

with your premises.

HARRY A. GARFIELD, LL.D., President Williams College.

I enclose herewith a letter from the Dean of our Faculty whoseposition as Chairman of our Committee on Admissions, and also as a

member of the College Entrance Examination Board, gives his judgmentespecial weight. I am in accord with his opinion. So far from aband-

oning the work in language, I should much prefer that students enter-

ing college were through with the beginners' work in Latin and both

modern languages, or with Latin and Greek and one modern language,

but I realize that, at the present time, it would appear to put upon the

schools too great a burden to have accomplished so much,

FREDERICK C. FERRY, Sc D., Dean Williams College.

It seems to me that "preparation for college" and "preparation for

life" are not necessarily separate and incompatible. I am not at all

clear that the boy or girl who is to go no further than the high school

seriously needs "for life" courses in drawing, advanced chemistry,

stenography and typewriting, rather than Latin and Greek. It is myown belief that the list of subjects which we prescribe for admission

to college are at least equal in their preparation for life to the more

modern and vocational course which the high school people propose.

Manifestly Williams College cannot undertake to carry all possible

subjects, and it should undertake to continue, it seems to me, through

the Freshman year the courses which have been taken during the

latter years in the high school. If, then, Williams College were to

dccept any and every graduate from the high schools of New York

City, it would have to be equipped with a sufficient teaching staff

to give, in the Freshman year, a far wider range of subjects than is at

present possible. Plainly, a college like this is warranted in saying

to the New York City high schools that, since we offer only the degree

in Arts, we will receive here those boys who have completed the

classical course in the high school. Those who have completed a science

21

course of the old-fashioned sort can go to institutions where the degree

of Bachelor of Science is offered. Others may perhaps go to the

business college, or to the schools of finance. It does not seem to methat any particular small college should be asked to receive students

presenting so great a variety of lines of preparation.

The argument that only one foreign language should be carried in

the high school course seems to me particularly weak. Those are muchbetter days for doing work in foreign languages than the college days,

and the educated man of the present time must have studied morethan a single foreign language, unless education ^*s to be interpreted in

a light far different from that of the present-day college. It seems to

me that a program would be of greater value which should confine the

boys, who are going to classical colleges, entirely to English, Greek,

Latin, History, Mathematics, and French or German, rather than to

include any of the long list of subjects presented on the sheet from

the High School Teachers Association. Household science, art, shop

work, commercial branches, elementary bookkeeping, advanced book-

keeping, etc., etc., seem to me to have no appropriate place in a schemeof education leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts. They should

be required of none of the students, I think, who are going to college,

and the time necessary for a thorough grounding in three foreign

languages and mathematics should be free from trespass on the part

of such subjects.

KENYON L. BUTTERFIELD, President Massachusetts Agricultural

College, Amherst.

I have referred your printed circular concerning the articulation of

high school and college to Professor William R. Hart, our Professor of

Agricultural Education, and a member of our Committee on Instruction,

and am asking him to have the matter brought up for discussion and

eventually report to you.

My personal view is that in a college like this, supported at State

expense, we ought to articulate very intimately with all the high

schools of the State. As a matter of fact, our present entrance re-

quirements enable us to do this fairly well. We do not try to dictate to

the high schools in Massachusetts—indeed, we cannot.

I find myself inclined to sympathize with those who hold that the

four-year high school course, passed with credit, is sufficient entrance

for college. I see two or three practical difficulties, however. Oneis that many of the new subjects are not at present the equivalent of

some of the older subjects in educational value, simply because they

are not so well organized nor so well taught. Again, in a course like

ours, which is made up of required subjects during the first two years,

and which leads to vocational work in the last two years, there might

22

be some difficulty in arranging work for men, some of whom enter

with one subject up and others deficient in it.

For instance, we require that our Freshmen shall have had a year

of chemistry. It isn't going to be easy to handle a group of men,some of whom have had perhaps two years of chemistry, some oneyear, and some none. This difficulty is not found in the university

with a wide-open elective system.

DAVID SNEDDEN, State Commissioner of Education.

It gives me great pleasure to learn that so large a high school

system as that of New York promises to take concerted action in this

matter. The present situation is most objectionable, and especially in

the restrictive effects it is having on true high school development. I

trust that in the near future the Massachusetts high schools will de-

velop concerted action with regard to admission requirements and that

the high schools themselves will in the future insist on saying whatthey can accomplish in four years of genuine work, leaving the colleges

free to accept or reject their recommendations.

Of course my acquaintance with Western institutions makes mefavor in general an accrediting system whereby the school as a whole,

rather than its teaching particular lines of work, should be made a

basis of its power to grant recommendations for entrance to college.

The time may not yet be ripe for the developing of an accrediting

system here, but I think it is much more possible than many critics

assume.

WILLIAM ORR, Deputy State Commissioner of Public Instruction.

The results of my experience and observation warrant me in giv-

ing hearty endorsement to the propositions you make as to the nature

and scope, aim and purpose of high school work. It is a hopeful sign

that high school teachers are asserting themselves and insisting that

the high school itself should regulate and determine its courses and

methods of instruction. When the public secondary school teachers

of the country take the same stand that the high school teachers of

New York have taken in this matter, the vexing question of the relation

of the high school to the college will be summarily settled and no

such question will exist.

STRATTON D. BROOKS, City Superintendent, Boston,

The proposed requirements for admission to college as outlined

in the circular sent me inclosed with your letter of May 28, are prac-

tically identical with the requirements as they have been in operation

in the University of Illinois for several years. While I was high

school inspector for that University, I had occasion to know that these

requirements worked very satisfactorily, both from the point of view

of the high schools and from the point of view of the University. I

have no doubt that even New England may in time see the reasonable-

ness of your request.

SHERBURN C. HUTCHINSON, City Superintendent, Andover.

I am in full sympathy with your statement. I believe that the

tendency is in the direction indicated and I hope to see the movement

hastened.

WILBUR F. GORDY, City Superintendent, Springfield.

I have read with the keenest interest the statements of your asso-

ciation. I heartily endorse the point of view taken by your com-

mittee. I believe you are right in calling for what, as you say, is

practically a re-organization of secondary education. The time has

come when the colleges must modify their entrance requirements in

the interests of a saner and broader preparation for life.

FREDERIC ALLISON TUPPER, Head Master Brighton High School,

Brighton, Boston.

1. I believe that every course in the high school should be given

a value for admission to college.

2. I believe that the quality of the work done should have great

weight.

3. I believe that fewer subjects better prepared would be advan-

tageous to college, school, and all concerned.

ALBERT PERRY WALKER, Headmaster, Girls High School,

Boston.

I have been much interested in your circular on articulation in

high school and college, and the reorganization of secondary educa-

tion. In general, I agree with the statements therein made.

In reply to your question, "What would be the objections to the

acceptance by colleges of high school graduates," I would say that I

believe that principle should be applied only to high schools approved

by the colleges after special investigation, according to a system

such as prevails among the New England colleges and high schools.

I believe in the reduction of the numher of required subjects. I do

not believe in the recognizing of "Standard Subjects" for admission

24

to college. I believe that college requirements should be confined to

subjects necessary to the pursuance of an advanced education. For

that reason, I do not believe that such subjects as household science

or stenography and typewriting should be recognized for college ad-

mission. What I do believe is that the essential subjects should alone

be required, and the college requirements should be so limited as to

demand only one-half or two-thirds of the pupil's high school time,

leaving him free to spend the rest of the time on any subject he

chooses, whether it be stenography or household science or music.

I feel especially strongly that it is undesirable ta require morethan one foreign language because, in my judgment, the thorough-

going, continuous, intensive study of a single language for four years

bears much more fruit than the distribution of the pupil's time

among several languages.

CHARLES I. RICE, Director of Music, Worcester, Mass.

and President of the Music Section of the N. E. A.The statement of the case is admirable and to the point. The

music end of it has received a good deal of attention during the past

five years in the annual meetings of the Eastern Educational Con-

ference, which are held in the different colleges, and it is encouraging

that your High School Teachers' Association is so fully interested.

I am glad you mention Clark College. President Sanford made a mas-

terly plea in his inaugural address for this liberal attitude, and unless

I am much mistaken most of the distinguished body of college presi-

dents who attended the inaugural ceremonies envied him his freedomfrom the trammels of cut-and-dried traditions.

MICHIGANDAVID MACKENZIE, Principal Detroit Central High School,

and President Secondary Department of the N. E. A.

I am most heartily in favor of the movement toward the complete

freedom of the High School. I shall be greatly interested in any action

the Secondary Department may takej in the matter of freeing the

High School from college denomination.

MINNESOTACYRUS NORTHROP, LL.D., President University of Minnesota.

I received a few days ago your communication, and I have read

it with interest and with substantial agreement with the views there-

in expressed. As showing the attitude of the University of Minnesota,

25

T will say that of the subjects which you enumerate as desirable to be

recognized by college entrance credits, Minnesota accepts without ques-

tion, Botany, Zoology, Physiography, Modern History, Civics, Econom-

ics, and Commercial Geography. Minnesota also accepts the following

when the subjects named are part of a definite four year course of

study:Mechanical and Free Hand Drawing.Carpentry, Pattern, Forging, Machine Shop Practice.

Commercial Law,Stenography and Typewriting.Elementary Bookkeeping.Advanced Bookkeeping and Accounting.Household Science and Art.

Not accepted: Music.

"Applied Physics, Advanced Chemistry, and Household Chemistry"

are not specifically named, but they are practically accepted under

Household Science and Art, etc.

MISSOURI

HOWARD A. GASS, State Superintendent of Education.

We have already made considerable progress along the lines you

suggest in your letter. Nearly all of the first class western colleges

accept work in manual training and domestic science, mechanical

drawing, agriculture, etc. Some of them accept work in music and

bookkeeping. I am very strongly in favor of the movement toward

rationalizing courses of study for colleges and secondary schools.

JAMES M. GREENWOOD, City Superintendent, Kansas City.

I am heartily in sympathy with the movement to limit and to

rationalize college entrance requirements, and to give notice that the

high-school teachers, except for those pupils who expect to enter

college or university, shall not be dominated by the scrappy bits of

subjects which college committees formulate. The high schools exist

for and within themselves, and not as fattening pens to prepare for

college or university enrollment. The effect on the teaching in high

schools is to narrow and restrict the work, because everything is cut

and dried as requirements demand it shall be done, without regard

to the needs of the vast majority who will never go to college. Themotto of the high schools should be to fit for life first, and for college

incidentally.

26

NEBRASKA

SAMUEL AVERY, Ph.D., Chancellor University of Nebraska.

Having received my education in the West and in German>\ it

strikes me at first reading as incredible that there should be serious

opposition to any of the suggestions which you make. In fact, it seems

to me that the statement is one of the most comprehensive, sane, and

practical reports on the subject that I have ever seen. I can most

heartily endorse it practically in toto.

E. C. BISHOP, State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

I heartily approve the ideas set forth in your statement. You are on

the right road to an adjustment which will mean much for better

results in high school training and also for the encouragement of morehigh school graduates to continue their education. The University of

Nebraska has already taken an advanced step in accreditment of all

work well done in high schools, which I believe will better conditions

to a great extent.

NEW HAMPSHIREE. W. BUTTERFIELD, Principal Dover High School.

I agree thoroughly with your statements and believe that all standard

high school subjects should be credited by the colleges. In particular,

stenography, typewriting, and bookkeeping are with us so thoroughly

established that they are in all ways an equivalent of subjects nowrecognized by the colleges.

In New Hampshire advanced American history and civics is a re-

quired study for all pupils of the senior year. It is a thorough course

with daily recitations. We are very anxious that this should receive

good college credit, and it has been so accepted by most of the colleges

of our region. Smith, Wellesley, and Mt. Holyoke, however, refuse to

accept it as yet as elementary. If we can in any way work with you

in accomplishing the purpose of your resolutions you may look for our

co-operation.

NEW JERSEY

ALEXANDER C. HUMPHREYS, LL.D., President Stevens Institute

of Technology, Hoboken.

We have no right to map out the general scheme of education with

the college as the goal. In this connection, in spite of the fact that

27

the high schools are presumably preparing for college, we find manygraduates from high schools who are not able to meet our require-

ments, even in the fundamental studies. Personally, I would prefer, if it

were necessary to make a choice^ that an applicant for admission should cometo us thoroughly grounded in the fundamentals even if this involved weak-

ness in other subjects.

J. M. GREEN, Principal New Jersey State Normal and Model Schools

and President of the Association of Colleges and Preparatory

Schools of the Middle States and Maryland.

I am in full accord with your movement to bring about better articu-

lation of the high school and the college.

The natural educational condition is to have the student go from

the high school course best adapted to him directly to a college in

which the course is arranged with reference to the work he has already

taken up, and there should be the closest and most cordial meeting

between the high school and the college in order to accomplish this

end.

I do not feel that the High School Teachers Associations are taking

all conditions fully into account in their present mode of procedure.

There are a number of colleges that are quite willing to comply with

their conditions. It seems to me that the high schools should accept

the proffer of these colleges and advise tneir pupils to go to them

rather than hold off in an effort to bring all colleges to do what some

can do.

My own contact with the colleges has convinced me that each private

college has its own particular problems to work out, problems involv-

ing its sources of financial support, etc., and that very many of the

colleges are not at liberty to do exactly what they might regard as

educationally the best.

I do not think the ready admission of high school graduates to the

college courses worth while unless the colleges standardize and not

receive students who do not come up to standard.

A thorough knowledge of the conditions of the colleges will reveal

the fact that there are many of them that are not at liberty to stand-

ardize on their entrance conditions. This being the case it is fruitless

for the time being to use an effort to have such colleges receive

(Students from high schools who have covered a given course in which

the commercial branches or any other branches other than those

directly preparatory to college have played a part and are claiming

recognition simply as educational values.

It seems to me that the high school people ask that the colleges do

something for them, and that when some college comes forward and

says it will do it the high school people turn and say, "We will not

28

accept your gift unless every one else comes to our conditions and

does the same thing, no matter what local problems are in the way."

This certainly is a great deal to expect, especially where the college

is supported by private enterprise and is giving the student morethan he pays for.

Furthermore, it is true that the high schools feel the force of

popular influence in their courses of study, but it is not always true

that this popular influence should be accepted without modification.

I recall very well when the popular influence was entirely against the

study of foreign languages, the slogan being "Know your own language

first." What would have been the result had the colleges yielded to tills

popular demand?There is much in the popular curriculum that is very valuable; there

is that in it which is decidedly ephemeral, if we are to judge by the

most reliable standards of education.

CHARLES J. BAXTER, State Superintendent Public Instruction.

This Department is heartily in sympathy with the work you are

trying to do in regard to the regulation of high school requirements by

colleges and will be glad to assist your organization in any way in

our power.

RANDALL SPAULDING, City Superintendent, Montclair.

The above statement, and its main conclusions, command myhearty approval; also the approval of the Principal of the high school,

Mr. H. W. Dutch, and the Vice-principal, Miss Elsie M. Dwyer.

VERNON L. DAVEY, Superintendent, East Orange.

In reply, I would say that I am heartily in sympathy with any

movement which will tend to a wise modification of the entrance re-

quirements of the colleges.

While I am not certain that I should endorse the definite list of

subjects and units named on page 3 of your circular, I am strongly

of the opinion that credit should be given for almost any well planned

and properly handled high school subject. I am also of the opinion

that the college requirement of three languages besides English is un-

wise and unprofitable and should be modified.

NEW MEXICOJAMES E. CLARK, Territorial Superintendent Public Instruction.

Allow me to say that I sympathize entirely with the movement for

reorganization of secondary education, and I believe that you will find

upon examination of the catalogue of the University of New Mexico,

that the entrance requirements are practically such as you would like

to see excepting in the matter of placing on the elective list the sub-

ject of music. Great care is taken in admitting students offering someof the other subjects, but I believe it will be found that whenever

subjects are found to have been well taught under capable instructors,

credit is given also for such subjects towards admission.

NEW YORKGEORGE P. BRISTOL, Chairman Committee on Relations to

Secondary Schools, Cornell University.

I hope that we may be able, working together, to make more pro-

gress in the direction in which you are working. I assure you of mypersonal sympathy with the movement your committee represents.

ADAM LEROY JONES, Chairman Committee on Undergraduate

Admissions, Columbia Universty.

As you are aware, we allow a wide range of choice among subjects to those

who are candidates for admission to Columbia College. We should not be

ready to accept all of the suggestions which your committee has made but

we do regard them as valuable and we sincerely hope that the relations

between the college and the secondary school will be such as to serve the

best interests of both.

JAMES M. TAYLOR, LL.D., President Vassar College.

I regard this matter as of prime importance, and I shall ask the

attention of the Faculty to it.

CHARLES H. LEVERMORE, Ph.D., President Adelphi College,

Brooklyn.

It will not be possible for our Faculty to give serious consideration

to the propositions contained in your circular before some time next

fall. I believe that the formal action of the Faculty upon your sug-

gestions is likely to be favorable. The regulations which you desire

concerning entrance requirements in languages have been in force in

this College ever since it was chartered. I am personally in favor of

allowing credit for all subjects specified on the last page of your

circular, and I only regret that you and your associates did not pro-

pose a radical change in the present system of entrance requirements

in English.

CHARLES P. NORTON, Chancellor University of Buffalo.

We are trying to get our collegiate department for the University

of Buffalo, and hope to do so in the near future. In the meantime,

30

I may say that I heartily agree with the views expressed in your cir-

cular letter.

REV. E. L. CAREY, CM., President St. Johns College, Brooklyn.

You will find that we credit for entrance many of the subjects

mentioned in your statement. We would be quite willing to give

reasonable credit for the remaining subjects, provided they were classed

as electives.

Without presuming to pronounce on the question of fact involved,

may I venture to say that I do not admit a distinction between "prep-

aration for college" and "preparation for life." Rational preparation

for college is preparation for life. At best, however, preparation for

college is an incomplete, and from a certain view point, an inadequate

preparation for life.

I hope the day will never come when one class of students will be

prepared "for college," and another "for life." Prepare them all

in a rational way for life and those who are fit will be adequately

prepared for college.

RUSH RHEES, President Rochester University.

First, I am entirely convinced that college entrance requirements

should be defined by the colleges in conjunction with the representa-

tives of the secondary school and on the basis of a frank recognition

of the proper function of the secondary schools.

Secondly, I do not believe that the colleges can fulfill their mission

in our educational system if the secondary schools adopt it as their

aim to be exclusively finishing schools without regard to the purpose

of the students to follow education further in a higher institution.

Nor do I believe that the secondary schools will fulfill their proper

function as tax supported institutions unless they clearly recognize

as definite relation to the institutions above them as they do to the

schools below them. The situation in Germany is distinctly to the

point, for there gymnasium, real-gymnasium and ober-real-schule are

definitely organized with a view to the preparation of students for

work in universities. It may readily be regarded as unwise for our

secondary schools to follow this German example, but I am con-

vinced that it would be still more unwise for them to ignore the fact

that secondary education holds a vital relation in subject matter as

well as in extent to higher education.

Thirdly, I do not believe that it would be advantageous in the

interests of our national education to confine the student's linguistic

study in our public high schools to one foreign language pursued for

four years. The high school period is the natural time for the ac-

31

quisition of languages and if students are to become acquainted with

more than one foreign language as educated men and women it is

important that they should begin that work at least as early as the

high school period.

Fourthly, many of the subjects mentioned by you as suitable to be

recognized by the college for entrance credits have little or no sig-

nificance, from the point of view of the college, as a preparatory train-

ing. Many of them, however, have such significance, particularly for

certain courses in college. I believe that the college should have an

open mind with reference to every development of interest in the high

schools and should be as liberal as possible in the extension of en-

trance credit to high school subjects. It is increasingly clear to me,

however, that preparation for college, whatever may be said concern-

ing the preparation for life, can not properly be measured quantita-

tively. Four years spent upon a very great variety of different sub-

jects, each studied for one year or possibly less, do not have at all

the same educational value from the point of view of preparation for

later work that is furnished by the same length of time devoted to a

smaller number of subjects each pursued for two or three or four

years. The same consideration is true and is coming to be more and

more clearly recognized of college education. Three years spent upon

one subject, whether science or literature or history, is of vastly morevalue for education than three years spent upon three different sub-

jects.

The college might reasonably reduce its specific prescriptions for

preparatory training, and leave a margin for the secondary schools

to fill as they deem best. I think the college should demand a com-

pleted secondary school course, including for any given college course

what the college regards as an irreducible minimum of specific prepara-

tion for that course. But that is far from your proposal.

EDWARD E. HALE, JR., Secretary Education Committee,

Union College.

The committee considered the matter carefully, and with the full

appreciation of many of the difficulties which the association feels in

the correct articulation of school and college work. The committee did

not feel, however, that it could consider definitely the question of

admitting without examinations the graduates of the New York City

high schools. Such a consideration would be largely theoretical, for

few of our students come from New York City.

The committee also found it impossible to agree with the views of

the association in the matter of election or option at entrance.

Although our entrance requirements recognize a certain amount of

32

election in several of the courses, the committee felt itself quite un-

ready for any statement of opinion upon the general question as

outlined in your letter.

ANDREW S. DRAPER, LL.D., State Commissioner of Education.

The subject is one, as we all know, with endless ramifications,

about which a great deal has been said, and more will be said, and I

cannot therefore undertake in this connection to discuss details. I

may say, however, that I have read your printed circular carefully,

and in a general way I feel strongly sympathetic with the views of

your committee. I think the colleges are too exacting in their re-

quirements for admission, and particularly that they lay too much

stress upon knowledge of what is in books and too little upon the power

to do things. Moreover, I think that the colleges should receive the

graduates of recognized high schools and give them their opportunity

to show whether or not they can do college work.

FRANK ROLLINS, Ph.D., Second Assistant Commissioner of Education.

I am in sympathy with the general recommendations of the report

of your committee, and I can .see no reason why the colleges

should not agree to accept for admission worthily accomplished work

along any of the lines suggested in your report, provided, of course,

that the colleges should still insist upon thorough and adequate prep-

aration in certain subjects that are fundamental to the successful pur-

suit of college work. Among these subjects, which would stand in the

nature of absolute requirements, I should include English, elementary

algebra, plane geometry, American history and civics, a foreign lan-

guage, and at least one unit in science. With these as a foundation the

colleges may well afford to permit a very wide range of electives in

making up the rest of the entrance requirements.

ARTHUR D. DEAN, Chief, Division of Trades Schools, New YorkState Education Department.

I am primarily interested in the development of trades schools or courses.

These have absolutely no reference to the college entrance requirements. I

advocate separate industrial or trades schools, or at least separate and

distinct courses within existing high schools. Industrial education is a

system of education which is to be apart from any dominations of colleges.

It should mean more than the introduction of shopwork or drawing in the

existing high schools. There is a bigger question involved, that of the

correlation of mathematics, English and history with industrial and com-

mercial activites. Of course all pupils of industrial schools or courses

should have mathematics, history and English, but the subject-matter

should be of a different order. The mathematics of a milling machine has

33

greater discipHnar}- value to a boy that is using a milling machine in a

school shop than has the present mathematics -rthen it is unrelated to the

manual training that the boy may be taking. The same may be said of

science work. Note the development of Chemistry in the daily life of our

people—the chemistry of soils, the kitchen, the shop, and compare the

educational possibilities of such chemistry with the "alchemy" that weteach today.

Personally I do not care where they put this industrial education. It maybe in the high school, in a separate school or in a factory. The only point

that needs consideration is so to work out the scheme that it will reach the

pupils that need it and benefit them. I am simply interested in having boys

and girls kept in school, given what they need, fitted for their work and

sent into the world as more efficient men and women.If the colleges will not give way to the needs of the high school situation,

then let us have two courses in our high schools—one based on college

requirements and the other based upon the requirements of industrial and

commercial life, and once established, the latter course will have a healthy

reaction upon the older course.

WILLIAM H. MAXWELL, LL.D., City Superintendent, New York City.

I endorse this statement issued by the High School Teachers Asso-

ciation, and I congratulate your association on the position it has taken.

I say this, however, without prejudice to my right to change my opin-

ion on the details of your plan, should I see fit to do so on more matureconsideration.

I regret that your Association did not see fit to ask for a reduction

in the number of texts to be read in Latin and in English for admission

to college.

ARTHUR S. SOMERS, Member of the High School Committee of the

Board of Education, New York City.

I have your letter of the 19th instant and note with very great

interest the effort that your association is making to have the require-

ments for college entrance modified and placed upon a more reasonable

basis.

I am sure that this effort must win the applause of everyone in-

terested in the matter of college education. Of course, I have not

had a great deal of experience in such matters, not being a college

man, but I cannot lose sight of the fact that the feeling is growing

among business men generally, that the colleges are not making the

most of their opportunity to fit men for active participation in the

affairs of life, and this, I believe, is due largely to the restrictions

with which the entrance is surrounded. It does seem to me that if a

34

proper and more democratic view were taken of the equipment nec-

essary for college entrance, it would result in a brighter and moregenerally useful man at the end of his college course.

This is not the time to follow the lead of such a discussion, but

I cannot refrain from this brief expression as my reason for being

largely in favor of the effort of your organization. No criticism of

the college is intended. On the contrary, I would that every yoiing

man, as far as possible, might have the advantage of college training

of the right sort; but, unfortunately, I find in my experience many col-

lege men who are seriously handicapped because they have been edu-

cated over the heads of the actual necessities of life.

CHARLES F. HARPER, Principal Syracuse Central High School,

New York.

Superintendent Blodgett has asked me to answer your letter to

him when I answer the one you wrote me. I have carefully considered

the statement of your "Committee on Conference with the Colleges"

and find that I agree heartily with it for the most part. I believe that

classes in a subject should be taught the same subject matter whether

they are preparing for college or for life. No one can tell in advance

what a pupil will do after graduation.

Clark College has surely set a splendid example to the other col-

leges in the matter of admission requirements. Any pupil who has

completed a carefully outlined course of study in a high grade high

school should find no difficulty in entering any college. A reduction of

the so-called required subjects, with greater freedom in the choice of

electives that could be offered, together with the recognition of any

subjects that are definite and well-taught in high schools, would

remove the difficulties which are found at the present time. I question

whether some subjects such as typewriting should be included in the

list for recognition.

There seems to be a general tendency on the part of all the best

colleges to meet the demands of the high school for modified entrance

requirements whenever they appear just. I believe that your recom-

mendations will be gladly received by the colleges and recognized by

greater freedom in the elective subjects which may be offered in the

future.

HENRY H. DENHAM, Principal Syracuse Techincal High School.

So far as I have had time to consider the matter I most heartily

indorse your statement.

35

CHARLES R. RICHARDS, Director, Cooper Union.

While I do not feel that manual training in general high school

courses is an element of serious importance, I think that a movementtowards a broader system of accrediting high school work on the part

of the colleges is in the right direction. It seems to me, however,

that this is a matter that has its limitations, and that in the future

development of specialized vocational high schools, special types of

secondary schools will limit their aims as far as higher schools are

concerned to preparation for special types of professional schools of

college grade.

ERNEST R. von NARDROFF, Principal Stuyvesant High School,

New York City.

I believe that the move made by the High School Teachers Asso-

ciation toward the articulation of the high school and college is a

great step in the right direction. I should like, however, to see in the

list of subjects to be recognized by college entrance credits mechanical

drawing represented by from one-half to two units, and, in place of

"applied Physics" I should prefer the more general expression of "ad-

vanced physics" to correspond to "advanced chemistry."

WILLIAM L. FELTER, Ph. D., Principal Girls High School, Brooklyn.

I congratulate your committee on the excellent scheme which it has

proposed. Your difficulty has been to adjust conditions which grow

out of the former one type high school. So long as pupils are pfirsu-

Ing the academic course the present requirements for admission to

colleges can easily be met. But with the differentiation of high

schools, with the introduction of the manual training, technical and

commercial schools, the pupils attending these new types of high

schools are placed at a decided disadvantage. If pupils knew whenthey entered high school what their after life was to be, plans might

be made accordingly, but in nearly every case neither the pupil nor

the parent is able to decide. The high school course is the season for

testing, for developing latent powers, for deciding what the future

career is to be. Even in the academic schools pupils do not decide as

to a college career until within a fortnight of the date of graduation.

With the present rigid college entrance requirements, if a pupil has

made a misstep anywhere along the line of his high school work,

this step may have fatal results.

While Latin has always been the supreme test of the high school

pupil's ability, any educator of any standing would deem that other

subjects might have equally great value in determining the test. Native

genius and capability should be elements entering into the fitting

36

of a pupil for college rather than the time element. For illustration,

a bright pupil is able to prepare for college in three and one-half

years, and in my own experience, with but three years of high school

training has won university scholarships.

The work done in good commercial and technical schools demandsrecognition from colleges. Then, too, the importance placed upon his-

tory, especially with reference to the making of history from day to

day, is worthy of serious consideration.

If the plan aidopted by you is accepted, and I earnestly trust it will

be, by the colleges, high schools of all types will stand upon exactly

the same footing. It will remain for the pupils in the newer types of

schools to demonstrate to the college authorities that the training given

in their subjects has as much educational value as the old line of

academic training. I believe your plan is worthy of endorsement and

of a protracted trial at the hands of the college authorities.

NORTH CAROLINAJAMES Y. JOYNER, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and

President of the National Education Association.

The Articulation of High School and College would have been an

excellent topic for discussion, either on the general program or on one

of the departmental programs, and I wish you had suggested it to

me before the completion of the general program. I regard it as an

exceedingly important subject, and I agree, in the main, with the views

expressed in the excellent statement of your committee.

NORTH DAKOTARICHARD HAYWARD, State High School Inspector.

Your letter to State Superintendent, W. L. Stockwell, has been

handed to me for reply. In general, I heartily approve of the ideas

set forth by your Association. I believe that almost any high school

pupil can well afford to spend sufficient time to do two or three units

of foreign language before graduating; but except for the few moretime than that is misspent. All high school graduates should have

done besides some foreign language in most cases, some work in

mathematics, history and civics, science, and at least three units in

English. He should also have given l^ to % of his time in high school

to music and drawing, and manual training, domestic science, com-

mercial or agricultural subjects. In my opinion such work, well done,

should be accepted for entrance to college.

37

I do not agree that a college should accept any high school graduate;

because that would probably mean that the college would have to dis-

miss some of them after a short trial and that would not be fair to the

high school graduate. Again, in my opinion a high school pupil's workshould be over half academic,—there is a chance of going too far with

vocational training in high school.

OHIOCHARLES S. HOWE, Ph.D., President Case School of Applied Science,

Cleveland.

This is a technical school and hence its requirements are quite differ-

ent from those of the ordinary college. We accept drawing—both

mechanical and free hand,—joinery, pattern making, forging, andmachine shop practice, for admission. We also allow botany, zoology,

physiography, advanced physics, advanced chemistry, modern history,

civics, and economics to be presented for admission up to four units.

We have not yet felt that we could accept commercial subjects.

There is one objection to a technical school's accepting whatever sub-

jects the student brings from the high school, because our students

must go on with higher mathematics, with English, with drawing and

descriptive geometry, and with modern languages. If part of the

students came with one preparation in each of these subjects, and part

with some other preparation, there would be no starting point for any

of them; or rather there would be several starting points for our

college work, and it would be exceedingly difficult to properly classify

the freshmen.

In reply to a subsequent inquiry, President Howe writes:

I cannot give you information in regard to the effect of drawing and

shop work upon our students because we have never made a list of these

men nor a comparison between them and others. I am perfectly satis-

fied in my own mind that manual training work when carried on in

the right way is helpful in the mental as well as in the manual develop-

ment of students.

We have always been willing to accept commercial law and I believe

economics for admission. These would come under elective subjects.

Commercial geography has never come before us for discussion. I

presume that if a student should offer it and should also offer the other

subjects which we absolutely require, there would be no hesitation in

giving him full credit for it.

ALSTON ELLIS, LL.D., President Ohio University, Athens.

My opinion is that the colleges and universities of the country will

have to make their entrance requirements more flexible to conditions

38

that now exist in the secondary schools. The old-time requirements

were good in their day but they have outlived the time when they

can be applied with satisfactory results. I do not feel that we have

rounded out a perfect plan at Ohio University, but we surely have

devised one that will meet modern conditions better than any that

I know to be in operation in other higher institutions of learning.

GEORGE M. JONES, Secretary Oberlin College, Oberlin.

I am very much interested in the work of your committee. It

seems to me that the graduates of good high schools ought to be able

to secure admission to college whether they have taken the regular

"college preparatory" course or not, and I expect that the example

of Clark College will be followed by many other colleges. Oberlin has

a minimum language requirement of four units. These can be pre-

sented in Latin or a combination of Latin and a second language. Wespecify a minimum of two units in Latin and have not yet reached the

point where we are willing to release this requirement for our A.B.

degree. Perhaps the time has come for this change, and I shall take

pleasure in presenting your circular to our Committee on Admission to

see whether the committee will be willing to allow four years of French

or German to meet the language requirement without any Latin. Wehave no B.S. course and there is no discrimination against Latin.

WILLIAM E. SMYSER, Registrar, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware.

This institution (Ohio Wesleyan University) has for a number of

years observed the recommendations of the North Central Associa-

tion of Colleges and Secondary Schools with regard to the acceptance

of certificates from approved High Schools. High School subjects

are accepted to the total of fifteen units in assigning the candidate

to Freshmen classification. In case the candidate has not completed

certain subjects prescribed for admission, he makes up his deficiency

in the sub-Freshman studies with the classes of the academic depart-

ment, so that a very satisfactory articulation between the work of the

college and the secondary school has been effected. Our experience

has been that the plan works well, and I believe that this is the

general experience of the other colleges of Ohio which are co-operat-

ing in the same way.

W. W. BOYD, Dean, College of Education, Ohio State University,

Columbus.

Your statement addressed to Dr. Thompson, the President of our

University, has been referred to me for reply.

In the beginning, permit me to express an appreciation of the

39

effort you are making for a closer articulation between high schools

and colleges. The high school does not exist for the purpose of pre-

paring a few persons for the acquirement of a monop ])ly in education.

It exists to make ordinary knowledge more univers£l. But, as long

as it leaves the student after a full course with the rudiments only

of knowledge, it should leave him in that condition wherein he can

get more knowledge. However, it does not seem to be the business of

the college to take a student at any station of educational attainment

and by adding four years of work graduate him with a degree. If

the college is to arrive at a given point at a fixed rate of speed, it

must establish a starting place. This is what causes the high school

to feel the burden of college entrance requirements. These require-

ments may be fixed, arbitrary and in some cases unreasonable. But

very much more of the reputation, if not the character, of an educa-

tional institution is determined by its starting place than by its

stopping place. As colleges have different ideals, they will naturally

establish different starting places.

As I am not familiar either with the entrance requirements of Clark

College or with the curricula of the New York high schools, I amunable to say whether it would be considered wise for our authorities

here to follow the lead of Clark College in admitting students from

the New York high schools.

A student may enter our College of Arts as a candidate for the A.B.

degree with no Latin or Greek. He will be required to offer four

units of foreign language which may be Latin, Greek, German, French

or Spanish. Some credit is given for physiography, zoology, botany,

physiology, agriculture, free hand drawing, manual training and

domestic science.

The necessity for a divergence in high school courses for "prepara-

tion for life" and "preparation for college," which your circular indi-

cates, does not seem to be well established. A better articulation of

both institutions may lead to better results for the high school stu-

dent who does not intend to go to college as well as for the one whointends to go. It has not been proved that the so-called course of

study in "preparation for life" will save the great number of boys

^nd girls who are said to be sacrificed by the course of study in

"preparation for college." Some pupils have an aversion to work of

ctny kind. I feel that any course of study which does not involve

plenty of real work will be a failure. It is true that an interest in

some studies may stimulate work. The larger truth is that someteachers have an ability to stimulate zealous effort with any study.

In the high school as elsewhere the teacher is the greatest factor.

I have no doubt the service of your committee will be a great aid

to our colleges and universities in the solution of the vexed question.

If we can be of further assistance to you in any way, we will be

glad to know it.

WILLIAM H. ELSON, City Superintendent, Cleveland.

I am much pleased at the statement issued by your organization.

T approve most heartily of the movement toward more liberal interpre-

tation of college entrance requirements.

PENNSYLVANIA

ISAAC SHARPLESS, LL.D., President Haverford College, Haverford.

I should be very glad to co-operate with any movement which wouldincrease the ability of the high schools to give the courses of study they

think is best for them, and at the same time send their students to

college. We have gone some distance in Haverford College in this

direction. I do not feel sure, however, that it will be r^ght for us to

adopt the whole of your list of subjects even for elective subjects, but

your circular will cause us to consider very carefully whether we canadd something to our present list; nor does it seem to me to be wise

for us to reduce the requirements of admission from two languages

to one. Any two foreign languages will now admit to our college.

GEORGE EDWARD REED, S. T. D., LL. D., President Dickinson

College, Carlisle, Pa.

The majority of the faculty of Dickinson College are of the opinion

that there should be a closer articulation between the high schools

of the country and the colleges.

My personal opinion is that students who have completed a four-year

course of study in a high school of high and approved rank might

justly be entered in any college or university even though the student

may have pursued what is known as the commercial course or have

taken his course in a technical training school where sufficient em-

phasis is placed upon purely cultural studies. Most of these studies

are mentioned in your circular, especially Music, Modern History,

Civics, Economics, Commercial Law, Advanced Bookkeeping and Ac-

counting, etc., and might well be recognized in college entrance cred-

its. Here in Dickinson college we have one course of study called the

scientific course, where, under one set of conditions, a student need

not present Latin as meeting one of the requirements of admission in

said course, but he must be able to present a large amount of workin two modern languages. We have not been giving credit for the

41

subjects enumerated in your letter, but my judgment is that the timeis coming when this will be done.

I hope that out of the discussion which is now going on in thecountry there may come a closer articulation of the college and thehigh school and a proper differentiation also, if possible, in the workof the institutions of the kind described.

JOSEPH SWAIN, President, Swarthmore College.

The difficulty you mention has been partially solved at Swarthmore byallowing a wide range of choice of entrance subjects.

A. H. ESPENOHADE, Registrar Pennsylvania State College.

Personally I am in hearty accord with the ground which your com-

mittee takes in its circular letter. For admission to this college wenow require three units of English; three of Mathematics (which

include Algebra through Quadratics, and Plane and Solid Geometry)

;

two units of history; two units or years of some one language; two

units of science and two units of electives. A pretty wide range of

different subjects may be chosen for the two elective units; and yet

this range of electives is not so wide as that proposed in your recent

letter.

REV. S. B. McCORMICK, LL.D., Chancellor University of Pittsburgh.

I submitted to several important members of our Faculty your letter

and statement. The expressions of opinion which came are as follows:

—they, in general, accord with my own views:

"All admit the waste in education to-day because of the imperfect

articulation of the High School and College.

There is a clear question as to whether there is not too much of

the 'practical' in this suggested solution to this very serious difficulty.

I am not ready to say that this suggested reduction in the present

requirements in order that the High School may take in even a greater

variety of what this plan wants recognized as standard subjects will

bring a better articulation of High School and College.

The whole question of High School 'electives' merits the most care-

ful consideration in this connection."—J. H. White.

"The need of adjustment between High School and College is

certainly pressing.

I am not in favor of dropping the requirement of two modernlanguages, except where the group system prevails when the amountof preparation varies.

I would like to see the certificate of all High Schools accepted for

entrance, but that state of things depends upon the High Schools them-

42

selves. With Professor Gibbs, I believe that quality—not quantity is

wanted."—G. A. M. Dyess.

"I believe these suggestions are worthy of serious consideration."

—R. T. Stewart.

"Colleges may recognize the subjects listed on the last page of the

circular, provided the student be allowed to present from this group

not more than five of the fifteen units required fcr entrance.

The reduction of entrance requirements to one foreign language

(four units) is to be approved.

Colleges will be more ready to grant credits for industrial subjects

than they are at present, after they all see an improvement in the

quality of preparation. Merely quantitative standards prevail too

exclusively at present."—L. R. Gibbs.

"I should like to see the certificate of a High School giving a four

years' course accepted for its value as a whole rather than for the exact

nuraber of units that might be counted up from it upon the basis of

the standards now in force. I agree with Professor Gibbs that we most

pressingly need quality rather than quantity standards, and I should

be very much in favor of letting a pupil who showed his preparation by

his performance—in College classes—go on with them whether certain

exact conditions of admission were fulfilled or not so long as no con-

dition exists that does not break a logical continuity of subject, or

prevert progress to higher reaches in it."—A. E. Frost.

"Surely this movement is timely. There is a lamentable lack of

articulation between High School and uollege,—between the workwhich the High School must do and that which the College may do.

For entrance requirements to the School of Economics, I should be

glad to have all the subjects mentioned (excepting possibly music

and household science and art) recognized by college entrance credits.

I approve the suggestion that only one foreign language be required

for admission."—J. T. Holdsworth.

CHEESMAN A. HERRICK, President Girard College, Philadelphia.

I am interested in your communication as I have spent nearly twenty

years in High School work.

Girard College, however, is neither a college nor a school which fits

for College, so that we are not specifically concerned in your communi-

cation. I wish you success in the good work you are doing.

A. DUNCAN YOCUM, Professor of Pedagogy, University of

Pennsylvania.

While I cannot speak for the university I am in hearty sympathy

with the general recommendations bf your committee. I would

cheerfully do anything that I can to further your movement here or

elsewhere.

43

REED B. TIETRICK, Deputy State Superintendent.

There is -a field for important work in the line of reorganization of secon-

dary education. The first business of the high school is not to "prepare

for college." If colleges can accept "preparation for life" as entrance re-

quirements without harming the work of the college, such a scheme wouldbe a decided "step" in the cause of education. It would seem that the

subjects which you propose could be recognized as college entrance credits.

It is not so much w/^^/one studies as it is that he studies and how he studies.

OLIVER P. CORNMAN, Ph.D., Associate Superintendent,

Philadelphia.

Your letter and statement has been referred to me for reply. Weare in hearty accord with the most radical suggestions of your state-

ment, and if the recommendation could not be accomplished, we believe

that the modifications suggested in lieu thereof to be both feasible and

wise. We trust that the work that you have performed upon this prob-

lem will have some practical outcome, and that some reform may be

accomplished in the not too distant future.

JAMES J. PALMER, City Superintendent, Oil City.

I am very much pleased that your organization has taken up this

question, and I assure you that I heartily approve the position the

association has taken in this matter. The High School is no longer a

special preparatory school for the college, and besides the High School

is manned in many cases by just as capable teachers as are those found

in the college. There is no doubt that the high school ought to be

allowed the freedom that would develop its proper sphere of useful-

ness in the community.

EDWARD RYNEARSON, Director of High Schools, Pittsburgh.

I am delighted with the spirit of your letter of the 10th inst. and of

the enclosures, and am much interested in your movement. Highschool men everywhere are interested in the work you are planning in

New York,

W. D. LEWIS, Principal William Penn High School for Girls,

Philadelphia.

Until the colleges recognize as a unit for entrance any subject es-

sential to the education of any boy or girl, our high schools will be

very much handicapped. The problem of the high school to-day is

that of adjustment to the needs of young people who are to live their

lives in a complicated civilization. The courses must therefore be

broad in order to prepare pupils to meet widely differing demands.

44

Great numbers of these boys and girls do not know whether or not

they will go to college until they are well along in the high school

course. If the work already done is not accepted for entrance, the

doors are closed to many of the most promising students.

It is time for the colleges to abandon the fetish of classicism and

recognize themselves as an integral part of the educational machinery

of the country.

Principal Lewis sends us the following statements from prominent

educators

:

President Jordan.—H. S. [stands for] well rounded education.

"This is all that the colleges have a right to ask, and for them to

specify certain classes of subjects, regardless of the real interests

of the secondary schools is a species of impertinence which only tradi-

tion justifies."

G. Stanley Hall.—The domination of the high school by the college

is an anacronism, a survival from a very different period in the

nation's life.

Prof. Perrin, Boston University.—They are the most preposterous

requirements for the admission of boys to college. The ones whoare to leave school and go to work are the ones who are hurt the most.

E. J. Goodwin.—We are gradually coming to recognize the injustice

of organizing our high school in the interest of the few alone whoare able to command a liberal or semi-liberal education.

Prof. Samuel Wendell Williston, Chicago University.—The fact that

only twelve per cent, of those who enter high school ever graduate is

largely due to the influence of the college.

C. P. Carey, State Superintendent, Wisconsin Schools.—Examination

for entrance to college means dry-rot in the secondary school * * *

What we ask is that the universities should release their grip on

the schools of the state, and give them a chance to develop. They

ought to be permitted to develop freely from within and not be forced

Into the Chinese shoe of college entrance requirements.

Emperor William in 1890.—We ought to train up young Germanswith a national spirit, not as Greeks or Romans. We must depart

from the basis which has been the tradition of centuries, from monastic

schools of the middle ages when Latin was the chief thing with a

little Greek in addition. I will therefore approve the foundation of

no more schools in the future unless their necessity can be proved.

Vocational Fr'y in large cities,

Wm. Orr, Sch. Rev. Jn. '09. 417.

Superintendent Stratton D. Brooks.—The demands as to admission

should be based upon the unofficial or at least unsystematic judgment

45

of the principal. By this I mean that no schematic arrangement of

percentage or subterfuges or reports should take the place of the

real judgment of the principal.

Prof. G. H. Nettleton, Yale.—Much good ink is shed yearly in dis-

cussion of educational ideals for prep, schools, but so long as the

college examiner remains the final judge from whose verdict noeffective appeal can be taken, the secondary schools must inevitably

conform in large measure to the methods of the particular court

before ever the cases of their pupils come to trial.

JOSEPH G. E. SMEDLEY, Principal Chester High School, Chester.

I see no good reason why colleges should not make up a list of

approved high schools, name certain approved and acceptable courses,

and then admit the graduates of such schools and courses on the

recommendations of the principals. It imposes a great burden whenprincipals are required to fill out a number of very detailed certificates.

It should be easy to withhold the privilege of recommendation fromschools abusing the privilege.

CHARLES S. FOOS, City Superintendent, Reading.I concur fully in the statement made by your association. I trust

that your scheme will find favor and I believe that its adoption will

do away with college domination and make the High Schools of the

country what they ought to be, fitting schools not only for those whogo to college but for those who do not go to college. I assure you of

my earnest co-operation.

EDWARD S. LING, Superintendent, Lock Haven.I have read your statement with interest. It seems to me that the

changes therein suggested in college entrance requirements must comesoon. We have felt quite keenly the injustice in the non-recognition

of certain kinds of work which we feel that we should give our pupils

to train them for life. We do not believe that the students should be

divided into the two classes. Its results have been unsatisfactory to

us. Let us give them the preparation for life and let the colleges rec-

ognize this as sufficient preparation for college, when the preparation

has been thorough.

We should be glad to see the recommendations of your statement put

into practical operation throughout the country.

RHODE ISLANDREV. WILLIAM H. P. FAUNCE, LL.D., President Brown University,

Providence.

I believe that the teachers and principals are right in asking for a

closer articulation and a more flexible system of entrance requirements.

46

The colleges are now moving toward more "required work" after stu-

dents enter college, thisi to be accompanied by less "required work" in

preparation for college. That is to say, the college should determinemore specifically what students should study after they enter, andthe high schools should determine more specifically what they wishtheir students to study while in the high school. I believe in the reduc-

tion of required subjects for admission to college, and one foreign

language is enougl^ in the case of many students. 1 believe there should

be no discrimination against Latin for the course leading to the B.S.

degree.

I am unable to go as far in this matter, however, as your Teachers'

Association. Possibly you forget that while it is quite safe for all

the eastern colleges to accept the graduates of any New York HighSchool, yet we have to deal not simply with the high schools of NewYork City, but with those of small and backward country townsthroughout the land. These high schools are usually destitute of

laboratories or libraries, and rarely have adequate teaching force.

When such a high school sends its pupils who offer shop work or

joinery or pattern-making, of course the situation is ludicrous. Whensuch high schools present physiography or zoology, there is no waywe have of estimating the value or meaning of such a course.

If we are to accept skill in manipulating a typewriter for admissionto college, should we not accept skill in using the sewing machine or

in operating a trolley-car? I believe there is a good deal more educa-

tion gained in operating an electric car than in operating a typewriter,

but how can we estimate the amount of education thus gained?

I have thus stated a few of the difficulties. Many of the subjects youmention as proper preparation for college cannot be taught in three-

fourths of the high schools of this country. But with your main posi-

tion I am heartily in sympathy, and shall bring the matter at once

before my Faculty.

WALTER E. RANGER, State Commissioner of Public Schools.

I sincerely commend the purpose of your committee to promote a

better articulation of high schools and colleges, and heartily approve

its statement regarding the need of a reorganization of secondary

education. I have long realized the need of greater freedom of the

secondary school in determining courses and subjects, chiefly for the

good of its students. Twenty-seven years ago, as principal of a sec-

ondary school, I introduced into regular courses commercial law, civics,

economics, as well as several scientific and commercial branches. Mostboys and girls preparing for college elected the three subjects named.

This indicates my attitude toward arts and subjects suggested by needs

of students and urged by popular demand.

47

VERMONTJOHN M. THOMAS, D. D., President Middlebury College.

I wish to acknowledge your communication of May 19th enclosing

the important statement of the High School Teachers' Association of

New York City concerning college entrance requirements. I shall refer

these documents to our committee on admission. In the meantime mayI say that I am heartily in favor of the views expressed by your

Committee. I believe the college should join itself to the high school

and that the public high school should not be required to adapt itself

to the college. The secondary school should have the responsibility of

giving to its pupils the education demanded by their environment and

suited to their time of life, without embarrassment from other con-

siderations. I should be glad to admit without further requirements

the graduates of the high schools of New York City.

Your suggestion that there should be no discrimination against Latin

for the course leading to the B.S. degree is excellent, and I think

we should not hesitate to allow credit for subjects specified on the

last page of your circular.

MASON S. STONE, State Superintendent of Education.

In response to yours of the 26th, I hasten to state that in my opinion

a public high school, being a public institution and supported by public

funds, should not fit for college. The college should fit to the high

school. The chief function of the high school is to enable the individual

to find out what he can best do and to give him a certain degree of cul-

ture and discipline. If the individual is required to fit the school andthe school does not fit the individual, the individual becomes crippled,

and we are having too many deformities as a result of our restricted

and required courses.

ALBERT W. VARNEY, City Superintendent, Bennington.

I am most heartily in accord with the position taken by your Associa-

tion. I believe the fairest and most satisfactory arrangement would

be to accept graduates from any four years' high school course, but on

certificate of the principal that the individual has the fit and mental

power to do college work. It is a question of mental power not of any

set of subjects passed. Many graduates from country high schools

have not the mental power nor natural ability necessary for college

work. You mention Clark, but that college asks for only the best. It

does not undertake to give a college education to all who hold a high

school diploma. I think, therefore, that a principal's certificate of

fitness is the one requirement in addition to a four years' high school

course. If this cannot be obtained as the requirement, then your rec-

ommendations would be the next best change. I approve especially of

the one foreign language requirement.

Our high school principal, Mr. H. B. Dickinson, also endorses your

recommendations.

A. E. TUTTLE, Principal Bellows Falls High School.

I approve this idea most heartily, and, in justice to all concernefl,

the colleges must very soon adopt the plan outlined above.

WASHINGTON

EDWARD O. SISSON, Professor of Education, University of

Washington.

I may say that the University of Washington has already made to

the high schools practically all the concessions you suggest in the

circular.

49

SECONDARY DEPARTMENTNATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

Resolutions Adopted July, 1910

WHEREAS, a wide range of high school subjects is now demandedin view of the varied needs of society and the diversified interests of

different students, and

WHEREAS, manual training, commercial branches, music, house-

hold science and art, agriculture, etc., when well taught and thoroughly-

learned are worthy of, and justly entitled to, recognition in college

entrance credits, and

WHEREAS, colleges in certain parts of the United States continue

to require two foreign languages from every applicant regardless of

his dominant interest, and

WHEREAS, this requirement in addition to such work in English,

Mathematics, History, and Science as is essential to the high school

course of every student precludes the possibility of giving adequate

attention to these other subjects, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that it is the sense of the Secondary Department of

the National Education Association that the interests of high school

students would be advanced by the reduction of the requirement in

foreign language to one such language and the recognition as electives

of all subjects well taught in the high school, and be it further

RESOLVED, that it is the sense of this Department that until such

modification is made by the colleges, the high schools will be greatly

hampered in their attempts to serve the best interests of boys and

girls in the public high school.

DEPARTMENT OF MANUAL TRAINING AND ARTEDUCATION

NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

Resolutions Adopted July, 1910

WHEREAS, many High Schools in the United States are now giving

good courses in Shop Work, Drawing, Household Science and Art, and

WHEREAS, these subjects contribute to the increase of intellectual

and imaginative power, to the broadening of social understanding, and

to the usefulness and happiness of the student in ways not afforded byother subjects, and

WHEREAS, the recognition of these subjects by college entrance

credits would encourage High Schools in extending and intensifying

this work, therefore be it

RESOLVED, by the Manual Training Section of the National Edu-

cation Association that the colleges be urged to grant recognition to

these subjects as electives whenever this work is well taught in anyHigh School.

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS EDUCATIONNATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

Resolutions Adopted July 1910

WHEREAS, many college graduates enter business life and nearly

every college graduate requires some knowledge of business practice

and theory, and

WHEREAS, our high schools are now offering good courses in

business and the graduates of business courses in the high school

would often be encouraged to enter college if the work already done

were recognized by college entrance credits, and

WHEREAS, commercial efficiency would be increased and a right

conception of business as a public service would be more readily

inculcated in our youth if commercial courses were given the recog-

nition to which they are justly entitled, therefore be it

RESOLVED, by the Business Section of the National Education

Association, that colleges be and hereby are urged, in the interests

both of our boys and girls, and of higher standards of business

efficiency and integrity, to grant college entrance credit to business

courses and that the entrance requirements in foreign languages be

reduced.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

lllllllllllllllilliiil

019 725 245 5